The 8063rd
by Pathseldomtraveled
Summary: I know it's been a while since I last updated. All I can say is: Please forgive me! I'm learning that long stories aren't really my strong point. Please R&R. Disclaimer: I don't own MASH.
1. On the road

"Could the doctors Pierce and Hunnicutt come see their humble Colonel?"

"I guess we better go" said the disgruntled Hawkeye.

"Yeah he sounds mad enough to-"

"NOW," Shouted Colonel Potter over the intercom.

"Maybe we should have gone to the Colonel the first time he called for us…. or the second time," Hawkeye mused as the two swamp dwellers made their way dejectedly across the compound. They took their slow sweet time knowing that the Colonel's news was anything but good. The 8063rd needed help. Again.

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"When I call for you, I expect you to come POST HASTE!!!!!!"

"We're sorry Colonel, but what's the point in coming when we already know what you want," said Hawkeye with a far-from sorry expression and a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"Oh yeah? Well if you already know what I am going to say, then why don't you enlighten me?"

Sensing that the wise move would be to stay silent, Hawk and BJ stood and stared at the ground feigning repentance. Colonel Potter relented and even gave a small sad smile. You couldn't help enjoying their childish antics and he was sure that they knew where they would have to go. Casualties had been heavy and the 4077th had not received any of the wounded because the roads where unsafe with usually active snipers in the area.

A surgeon's duty was to save lives, however, and there was no other way, Colonel Potter delivered the rest of his news, "The 8063rd has been receiving wounded for the past two days now. They are a doctor short due to roads being closed. There's been a lot of shelling and sniper fire around there. I'm sorry boys, but I'm going to have to send you both to the 8063rd to help."

Knowing that there was no arguing the doctors merely nodded and went back to the swamp to pack the supplies that they would need at the other MASH unit. They would be leaving at dawn.

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"Sirs? Sirs, wake up." Radar hated waking up the two doctors. He always felt so guilty. And he didn't want them to leave either. Oh well, this is a war and they all had a duty to the army. No matter how unwilling they were to be in the army. So Radar performed his duty, "Wake up sirs. You have to get going." Ah at last. He could see that Hawkeye was starting to wake.

"Radar if you don't go away I will take your teddy bear hostage," grumbled the not so awake Hawkeye.

"It's not my fault sir! Colonel Potter said you have to get going."

"What? Oh yeah, hey Beej we have to get up and get going," Hawkeye said as he threw his pillow at BJ. The two doctors jumped out of bed and got ready for the trip to the 8063rd. It was going to be a long day, but hopefully there wouldn't be any problems and they'd be back soon. At least it was a nice clear day that would make for a good drive.

"I'm driving."

"You always drive." But BJ gave in none the less. You couldn't argue with Hawkeye when his mind was set on something. The two men jumped into the jeep and drove out of camp. It really was a nice drive. At least it was until they started to hear gunshots. The shots were going off all around them. One even hit the dirt right next to the front tire. Hawkeye pushed the old army jeep to its limits. Stupid army surplus! He wasn't sure if even at top speed it would be enough.

"Drive faster Hawk!"

"I am. I am. Besides they wouldn't shot a doctor. Hold up your medical bag."

"Oh yeah that'll work." Despite their joking Hawkeye could tell that BJ was terrified. He hadn't been in Korea for long and this was certainly a new experience. BJ had really thought that they wouldn't shoot at a doctor. You learn something new everyday.

"Ouch!!!!"

"Oh my—are you alright Hawk?!"

"Yeah…I think it's just a scratch..." He certainly hoped it was just a scratch. It really did hurt. "I'll let you look at it when were reach a safer strip of road. Or dirt as it were."

"...Okay" If BJ had been terrified before then he had no idea how to describe this new feeling. What if it wasn't a scratch? He quickly scrutinized Hawk. He wasn't bleeding too much... He was still able to drive. That's good right? He'll have to wait till they reach safer ground to know.


	2. At the 8063rd

Finally the shooting stopped. Just to be safe; Hawkeye drove for another five minutes before stopping the jeep. He knew that BJ was scared and worried and that worried Hawkeye even more. BJ could actually see the wound. If the doctor was worried then that's not good right?

"Okay Hawk we're safer. Let me see your wound. Where did the bullet get you?" BJ was so scared. There was so much blood and it was running down his chest. It had to be alright. Hawkeye couldn't die. He wouldn't let him.

"I think it's just a scratch BJ. Honest. I'm fine."

"I'll be the judge at that." BJ inspected the wound and almost fainted with relief. He would live. It was just a scratch. A bad scratch though…

"Your right Hawk, but you need stitches and we need to stop the bleeding or else you could be in trouble. I would hate for you to die of a scratch because you bleed to death." It was okay to joke around now. He would live! He's okay!

"I hate getting stitches. Let's just put pressure on the wound and we can wait till we get to the 8063rd to sew me up. They can knock me out. Needles creep me out."

"You're a doctor!?"

"It's okay if someone else is stuck with a needle. That doesn't bother me."

"Oh silly me." As the two relieved doctors joked, BJ started to clean out the wound and bandage it. He would force Hawkeye to let him stitch it up later. It would need a good many stitches. He was really lucky. It could have been a lot worse. If the bullet had hit him a couple inches further down…

"Okay that's all done. You better let me drive now."

"What!? I don't think so. Just because I got shot doesn't mean I can't drive."

"Fine. Jeez. You're like a little kid."

Hawkeye started the jeep up and soon they were back on their way to the 8063rd. They would get there, perform a couple of surgeries, and go back home. In fact he even looked forward to getting back to the 4077th. He had the perfect joke for Frank. Ferret face would be so furious. Hawkeye could just imagine his face.

"You know what I should do when we get back Beej?"

"Sleep for a day and then give a nurse a physical?"

"No. I mean before that."

"What?"

"I should apply for the purple heart. Could you just imagine Frank's reaction? After all the times that he's tried getting it? That would be worth getting shot"

BJ laughed. He could imagine Ferret Face's face. Frank would be so mad.

"You should have gotten shot long before this."

"Next time I'll know"

"If you do that to me again, I'll have to kill you. Tell you what. Next time I'll jump in front of the bullet."

The two doctors drove for awhile in companionable silence. Hawkeye was imagining Frank's reaction and BJ was just thankful that his friend was alive. The 8063rd was just ahead. They would get there, patch up a couple of kids, and then go back home to the 4077th.

Both doctors had completely forgotten, due to the sniper attack, that the reason they were going to the other MASH unit was because it was being heavily hit and they were a couple of doctors short. They were quickly reminded, however, when the jeep turned around the corner and, instead of the MASH unit, there was only a flat space of ground. No buildings. No people. Nothing.

"Where is everyone?" BJ questioned beginning to become scared again.

"They bugged out! We need to get out of here! We're in enemy territory!"

Just as they were about to turn the jeep around and leave, they heard gunshots going off from where they had just come. On the other side of the empty MASH unit they heard mortar shells going off. They were stuck, surrounded on both sides by the war.

"What should we do!?"

Hawkeye didn't have an answer. He could only helplessly look at BJ. What would they do? They weren't soldiers. They didn't have this kind of training. They were doctors. Who would want to harm a doctor? They both knew, however, that it wouldn't matter what they were. They had to run. To hide.

But they were DOCTORS!!!

But it didn't matter.

The two scared men jumped out of the jeep and ran to find a hiding place. Maybe they wouldn't be found.


	3. The capture

As the two doctors fled to find a hiding place they couldn't help but think of the irony that was their lives. They had decided to become doctors in order to help people and somehow they had found themselves entangled in a war that seemed to be doing the very opposite of what they had set out to do in life.

"Look! A hiding place!" Hawkeye lead the way to a hole that was camouflaged, making it look like a small down-slope and not someplace that could in fact hide two men. The two doctors ran towards the hiding place and all but fell in.

"What is this," panted an out of breath BJ.

"I think they were digging a new latrine before they had to bug out." Hawkeye couldn't help but laugh a little. "Figures this is where we would end up."

The two doctors waited, listening for any sounds that might indicate a North Korean Soldier. Could it be that they would be passed by? They could hear the gunshots getting closer. It sounded as if the guns were being shot right over their heads. Hawkeye and BJ huddled together and tried to sink even further into the ground. All of a sudden the shooting stopped and there was silence. The two doctors peeked over the edge of their shelter to find the place deserted. There was no one in sight and all was quiet.

"What happened? Are we safe?"

Hawkeye didn't know what to say. Could it have been that simple?

"I don't know, but let's get out of here."

The two doctors broke cover and ran for the jump. Hawkeye jumped behind the wheel, checked to see if BJ was next to him, and started the engine. Before he even had a chance to turn the key, however, the bushes next to him started to shake. Hawkeye watched, terrified as a North Korean walked out, gun pointed straight at the doctor.

"Stay right where you are or I will shoot," the soldier said in amazingly good English.

Hawkeye and BJ stared at him, openmouthed in amazement. They had never really considered the option of them being captured. Not really. It always happened to someone else, didn't it?

"We are doctors. We mean no harm," Hawkeye tried to reason as more Korean soldiers came out of the brush with guns pointing. They were outnumbered by ten enemy soldiers now.

"I don't care what you are. All that matters is that you are Americans and our enemies. Get out of the jeep. Now." With sinking hearts, the two doctors climbed out of the jeep.

"You are now under the command of the North Korean Army. You will do what you are told. Do you understand me?"

"Yes," the two scared men spoke unanimously. Yes they did indeed understand. They either did what they were told or else they died. Simple, right?

"Good." And with that single response they started to walk. Jabbing their guns in the directions that the two doctors were expected to go, making sure that the doctors stayed in front of them and their guns throughout the forced march.

Hawkeye and BJ walked ahead a little, making sure to follow the path and not to make any sudden movements that would provoke gunshots.

"It will be alright BJ," Hawkeye encouraged as soon as he figured that they were far enough not to be heard. "Don't worry."

BJ just looked at Hawkeye. He looked terrified, as white as a ghost. The blood from the bullet that had scraped him earlier stood out even more against the new pallor of his skin. BJ then looked into his best friend's eyes. There was a barely concealed panic in his eyes and BJ could tell that it took all of his strength not to let the panic take over. It was amazing, truly remarkable in fact, that he could still sound positive and comforting. BJ admired Hawkeye's courage and wished that he was as strong.

"Do you think they'll shoot us?" It took all of BJ's strength to not let his voice shake.

"No. Wouldn't they have shot us already? They must have some purpose for keeping us alive." Hawkeye was trying to comfort himself as well as BJ. At that moment he was admiring BJ's aplomb just as BJ had admired his.

The two friends walked in silence, each in their separate thoughts. Behind them the Korean soldiers marched happily. They had captured two Americans! They would be held in high required and would be well honored. They did not know what would be in store for the Americans but it didn't matter. Not to them. It was a war after all. It was not their business to worry about the fates of two doctors that they had never met before.


	4. Wounded soldier

As the unlikely group of North Koreans and two American doctors marched on, they suddenly heard loud gunshots that sounded as if the war was right around the bend. Hawkeye and BJ dropped to the ground, trying to make as small of a target as they could. The Koreans, however, hurriedly rushed off to join the fighting, leaving one soldier to watch over the two doctors.

"If you make an attempt to leave, I will shoot you dead," the Korean guard warned, leaving no doubt in the doctor's minds what his intentions were.

"Don't worry we're staying right were we are," Hawk said, thinking that they really didn't deserve to be shot at twice in one day.

The three men huddled down on the path in a vain attempt not to get shot by the opposing forces that battled just a little distance away. They stayed like that, without making a noise, for what seemed like eternity until there was silence.

"Stay where you are. We will wait for the others." Their North Korean guard whispered in a hushed voice.

Hawkeye and BJ stayed hugged to the ground as they were told, not wanting to give their captor any reason to decide that they were more trouble then they were worth. They glanced up only when they saw their guard tense, hoping that perhaps the Americans had won the small battle and that the doctors would be saved. To their disappointment, however, they saw that it was only their captors come to rejoin their guard.

The doctors were forced back to their feet and were made to walk around the bend, to where the little battle had taken place. To their horror they saw what seemed to be way too many bodies lying on the ground, many dead, and the few whe were still alive were also injured. The ground was stained red with all of the blood that had been shed.

"Go ahead doctors," sneered one of their captors. "Go see what happens to those who oppose us."

Hawkeye lead the way with BJ following. They went first to one body and then to another, trying to see if any was still alive. Hoping that they might be able to save at least one soul, but all the Americans were dead. They discovered that only the Koreans lived. Hawkeye felt a sense of responsibility to the injured Koreans also though. After all they couldn't help being in this war either.

"BJ see that man over there?" Hawkeye pointed to a fallen Korean soldier who looked to be in worse shape than any of the other wounded boys.

"Yeah. What? You think we should try to help? Don't be insane! They'd shoot us before we could even try," BJ whispered, making sure that they couldn't be overheard.

"Beej, I've got to try. Besides if we can save him, it might put us in the North Korean's good graces."

"Hawk…," but BJ could tell it was useless arguing, especially when he had that look in his eyes. It was best just to play along and pray nothing bad would happen.

Hawkeye started towards the injured soldier, glancing at the group of men who were gathered around him. He noticed that the number of soldiers seemed to have doubled after meeting up with the Koreans who had been fighting. Hawkeye slowly walked over until he was within touching distance and then he kneeled down beside the wounded man. Hawkeye reached a hand out to touch the boy lying before him and was immediately shoved aside by a soldier who towered above him.

BJ saw the soldier hit Hawkeye and went running over to him.

"Hey! He's just trying to help your friend! Let him be!"

"Look. You have to lets us help him. If you don't he will die! Can't you see? He's bleeding way too much," Hawkeye's Hippocratic Oath would not allow him to let a bleeding injured man lie without trying to help him. Hawkeye slowly got up and moved back to the side of the bleeding soldier. "Please. Just let me help him." BJ waited right behind Hawkeye to see what the North Korean would say. He had a feeling that whether they lived or not would be dependent on the answer.

The North Korean gazed down on Hawkeye for what seemed like a long time. Finally, with a nod of his head, he allowed Hawkeye to look at the Korean soldier.

"BJ. Can you bring the medical bag and come help me?" With an amazing sense of relief BJ ran to get the bag that they had dropped further up the path. He couldn't believe Hawkeye's luck. Did he know how close they had come to being dead? BJ wasn't sure; all he knew was that he was very very glad that they were both alright. For the moment. With the bag, BJ ran to Hawkeye, knelt down, and together, the two doctors looked over their enemy.


	5. Surgery

"I don't know Hawk. He's bleeding an awful lot, it looks like a chest wound."

"Yeah I know and he's having trouble breathing. I think it could be a possible hemothorax. Go get the bag. We'll see what we have to work with." As BJ reached for the bag that was right beside, him he couldn't help but be hugely grateful that Colonel Potter had put in extra supplies for the 8063rd.

"Okay let me see. We have all the usual stuff, pressure bandages, gloves, antibiotics… But the Colonel put in extra stuff for the other mash unit too. So we also have individual packets of sterilized needles, scalpels, and some thread." BJ ruffled through the supplies remembering how he and Hawkeye had laughed at the "disposable" surgery equipment. Now, however, he was very thankful for them.

"To think, we had actually laughed at the army for making disposable scalpels." Hawkeye eerily vocalized BJ's thoughts. "We need something to drain the blood out of his chest. Are there any tubes in the bag?"

"Let me see. Um. No I don't see any. Wait! Here's a pen, maybe we can use that." BJ pulled out a pen that was lying at the very bottom of the bag, forgotten until just now, and started to take it apart. Soon he had just the outer shell of the pen, ready to be used as a makeshift tube.

"Alright I have the tube ready."

"I can't believe that we're planning on performing surgery on this kid, outside, in the middle of nowhere."

"We have no choice Hawk. If we don't, he'll die for sure. The best we can do is to try to drain the blood from his chest and stabilize him."

"Okay here goes then." Before he got started on his patient, Hawkeye first looked up at the North Korean who glared down at him. "We have to put this tube into your friend's lung in order to enable him to breathe easier," Hawkeye explained making sure that the North Korean soldier wouldn't misinterpret the doctors helping the patient as attacking him. The North Korean didn't move or utter a single word. He just stood there, glaring down at the two doctors.

"Okay Beej, I guess that means it's a go." Hawkeye grabbed the pair of gloves that BJ handed him, put them on, and then held out a freshly gloved hand for the scalpel that BJ was busy unwrapping.

"Are you ready? I'm going to cut a little hole, here in the skin, so that the tube can be inserted between the ribs. He's going to bleed a lot and he can't afford to lose much more blood. So as soon as the tube is in I want you to quickly apply pressure to the opening around it. Okay?"

BJ swallowed and nodded. This was going to be an intense surgery. He thought he had seen the worst when Hawkeye had first picked him up and driven him to his new home in Korea. This, however, was no comparison. They were operating on a badly wounded kid outside, without the proper instruments, and, to make it even better, they were operating at gunpoint. BJ was very nervous that if they made even one mistake, it might be the last thing they ever did.

"Okay. Don't worry it will be fine. Alright. Here we go," and with that last statement Hawkeye took hold of the scalpel in his expert grip and gingerly cut a hole into the wounded soldier lying before him. With expert precision he sliced the skin, dropped the scalpel, and plucked the hole wider, using his fingers, giving BJ the opportunity to put their makeshift tube into place and then to quickly start apply pressure around the incision, attempting to dam up the small river of blood.

"Okay now we need to lift him up to try to drain out the blood that's compressing his lung," Hawkeye said as he started to lift up the unconscious patient. When the blood started to drain out, the patient's breathing became less erratic.

"I think he might be stable now and able to be moved," Hawkeye said, slightly relieved that the North Koreans would get a good impression of the doctors, but more relieved that the patient would live.

All of a sudden, however, the wounded boy's breathing started becoming erratic again.

"Damn-it Beej, he's going into shock."

"I think he's lost too much blood. Let's try to elevate his feet. Quick lay him back down on the ground and I'll put the bag under his feet."

The doctors moved hurriedly, trying to keep their patient from dying. The concern in their eyes overshadowed the fear that had been there since they were captured. As BJ placed the medical bag under the wounded boy's feet, Hawkeye took hold of the wrist to check the patient's pulse.

"Beej. We're losing him— Damn! He's stopped breathing! I've gotta do CPR." Hawkeye quickly started to pound on the wounded kid's chest trying to get a heartbeat back. Hawkeye refused to think of what this harsh treatment was doing for his patient's injuries. It wouldn't matter anyway if the kid didn't start to breath on his own soon.

"Beej," Hawkeye gasped, as he continued to perform CPR, "check his pulse. Anything?" BJ reached down and felt the wrist. He shook his head,

"Hawk? It's useless. He's dead. He just lost too much blood before we could get to him."

Hawkeye refused to listen, but instead continued to pump air into his patient's chest. Maybe if he kept at it for just one more minute the kid will come back. He couldn't stop and give up on the kid. Just one more minute. Before he could finish the minute, however, he was roughly shoved aside.

"Enough! He's dead! You have failed doctors! Now get up!"

BJ stood up, not wanting to give the North Korean any excuse to shoot them. He had to forcibly lift Hawkeye up. Hawkeye was still distraught at his failure to save a life.


	6. Prisoners of War

The two doctors walked along the path for a while in silence. Hawkeye was still depressed at his inability to save the young Korean boy. BJ always worried about Hawkeye when he was in this kind of mood, but now he was even more worried. A depressed Hawk is never good, but a captured depressed Hawk? BJ was also not sure whether their captors would be even more hostile because of the doctor's failure. He sure hoped not. Maybe they knew that it was close to impossible to save the young soldier's life or maybe they feel vindicated that all Americans are evil and don't really deserve to live. Whatever they thought, it probably wouldn't help their situation much. He glanced back at his friend and sighed. He had no idea what they were in for.

Hawkeye saw, out of the corner of his eye, BJ look over at him, but he just stared at the ground and continued to walk. How could he have failed? Not only did he fail to save a young life, but now he also managed to put both him and BJ in greater danger. Talk about a bad first impression. While they might be useful as doctors, he seriously doubted that the North Koreans would want to make use of doctors who couldn't seem to save a life.

As BJ and Hawkeye marched along at gun-point, each in their own separate thoughts, the light of the day faded into the darkness of night. They had now been walking for hours and were starting to get tired. Just when they thought that they couldn't go any further, they say a light ahead of them. It was the North Koreans' camp. Instead of feeling relieved, however, the doctors were terrified. When they were walking they could almost pretend that it was just a walk. Now, however, they were entering an enemy camp. They were officially prisoners of war.

They didn't get the opportunity to look around because they were roughly grabbed from behind and shoved into a cold dark building. Before they even had a chance to get back up the door was slammed shut and they were locked in.

"Are you okay Hawkeye?" BJ asked, knowing that Hawk probably wasn't hurt, but he just wanted to hear his voice.

"Yeah Beej. You?"

"I'm fine. What now?" There it was. BJ finally asked the question that had been on both their minds since they first saw the North Koreans.

"I don't know," sighed Hawkeye. He looked around him and saw that they were in a small hut-like building with a dirt floor. The sliver of light coming from under the locked door was the only light that enabled them to see. Hawkeye got up and started pacing around their jail, occasionally testing the strength of the walls and door. "I think we're stuck," he observed and looked over at BJ. BJ looked as scared as Hawkeye felt.

"I don't know what we should do Beej, but don't worry. They must have kept us for some reason." Hawkeye said, trying to reassure himself as well as BJ.

"You're probably right Hawk," BJ said, following Hawkeye's lead.

For a while neither of them said a word. Hawkeye continued to pace and BJ just sat, watching him. He had no idea what was going to happen to them, all he knew was that they were stuck and there was no point worrying, this of course didn't stop him. He was scared to death. The long walk combined with the stress of being captured was sufficient to make him exhausted. He knew that Hawkeye had to be equally as tired, but he did not try to attempt to make him rest. He didn't think it was possible to get Hawkeye to stop walking until he decided for himself to sit down.

After what seemed like an eternity, Hawkeye finally gave up his pacing. It was doing him no good and was, in fact, only serving to make him even more tired than he already was. He went over and sat down next to BJ. He could feel BJ shivering and did not know whether it was due to the cold or if he was just scared. It was probably both. He placed his arm over his friend's shoulders to provide the comfort of a friend and the warmth of his body heat.

"Don't worry Beej. We'll get through this. In fact I bet the Colonel's raising hell, trying to get ICORE to send help. I can just hear him now 'you can't expect me to run a MASH unit without my two best surgeons!'"

"Can you imagine Frank?"

"Hah. I bet he's with Margaret, gloating over the fact that now he's finally gotten rid of us. We'll have to prove him wrong."

As the two doctors imagined what was going on back at the 4077th, they finally gave in to their exhaustion and fell asleep.


	7. Worries

BJ was startled awake by a loud noise. Still groggy from sleep, he didn't at first notice the North Koreans yelling at them until they pulled Hawkeye away from his side. At that moment he was fully awake.

"Hey! What are you doing!? Let him go!" BJ rushed to get up and help his friend.

Hawkeye was very confused. All he knew was that he had been sleeping and all of a sudden he was rudely woken up when someone grabbed his arm and yanked him up and away from BJ. He quickly remembered, however, were he was and realized that it was a North Korean who was now pulling him towards the door, leaving a very startled and scared BJ behind. Hawkeye struggled against his captor, but was shocked into stillness when he heard BJ's outcry. With renewed effort he tried to break free of his captors in order to reach the severely distressed doctor. He glanced over at the other Koreans by the door and didn't like their expressions. He could tell that BJ was going to be in trouble if he continued his outburst. With an effort he broke free of the grip on his arm and quickly ran over to BJ.

"Beej, listen. You have to relax. It'll be okay," Hawkeye tried to reassure his friend, speaking quickly when he saw a North Korean start to head their way. He was afraid of what the soldier would do to BJ if Hawkeye couldn't get him to calm down.

"But they were trying to take you away." BJ frantically grabbed hold of Hawkeye's arm as if to assure himself that he wasn't imagining him. He wasn't reassured for long, however, because the North Korean reached the two friends and made as if to regain his grip on Hawkeye.

"No! You can't take him!" BJ was frantic again. Being prisoners of war was bad enough, but he couldn't bare it if they split them up. What if they hurt him, or worse? It would be his fault.

The North Korean lifted his gun up into the air as if he planned on beating BJ into silence.

"BJ," Hawkeye attempted to make his friend relax. "BJ. I'll be fine, but if you don't stop this I'm not sure I'll be able to say the same thing about you." Hawkeye was scared for BJ. If he didn't settle down the soldiers might try to force him into being quiet and he wasn't sure if he would like their methods.

"BJ if you don't stop yelling they'll _make_ you stop. Don't give them a reason to hurt you. Think of your wife. Think of your daughter. They need you to return home safely"

Hawkeye's statement had an immediate effect. BJ stopped struggling and stared at his friend and finally started to think rationally. Hawk was right. He had a family to think of and he probably wasn't doing much to help Hawkeye either. It wasn't up to him. He was now quiet as he watched the North Korean soldier grab his friend by the arm and shove him out of their prison. He winced as he saw how the soldier jabbed Hawkeye in the back to get him to start walking in the direction that was pointed out to him. After that, however, he saw no more because the door of his jail was closed and relocked. BJ was left alone to worry about why they had taken Hawkeye and what they had planned for him. Would he see his best friend again?

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Colonel Potter sat at his desk staring at the mounds of paperwork that was in front of him. He had been working already for what felt like hours, but the mountain of paper never seemed to get any smaller. He hated paperwork and what was more, he was certain that it made no difference. He knew for a fact that his superiors only ever glanced at the sheets of paper before casually tossing them aside. The one time, however, that he failed to turn in a proper report would of course be the time when it would be regarded with more than a casual glance and then there would be hell to pay. Before he could become too caught up in this train of thought he was interrupted out of his musings by a quiet knock on the door.

"Come in Radar."

"Sir we haven't heard from Hawkeye or BJ yet, so I tried to call the other MASH and the phone lines were down."

The Colonel could tell from his voice that Radar was worried. He was worried too. It was rare for his doctors to not report back to the 4077th when they reached their destination. But it was a war and he couldn't remember a time when he wasn't worried. He was sure that at the moment it was baseless worry.

"It's alright Radar. Remember they were expecting some heavy causalities for a while? You know how we get when were that busy."

"Yeah it's all confusing and I'm always running in every direction at the same time it seems."

"See? They probably haven't gotten the chance to fix their phones yet. Maybe they haven't even noticed that they're out."

Radar walked out of the office looking reassured and Colonel Potter turned back to the small mountains on his desk also feeling somewhat less worried. He was able to ignore the nagging feeling, which always seemed to linger right under the surface theses days. With a sigh, the Colonel pushed all thoughts of the two doctors out of his mind so that he could get back to the never-ending pile of paperwork that was on his desk.


	8. The New OR

"So, where are we going?" Hawkeye asked, trying to keep himself calm. Most of the soldiers who had come to get him had left to a different part of the camp than where his current guardian was taking him. He glanced over at his captor and found himself looking down the barrel of a gun.

"You don't have to point that thing at me. I'm not going to try to run away. Honest. What kind of person leaves his friend behind?" Hawkeye looked back over at his guard and saw that the gun had been lowered. Just a little though. He gave up trying to engage his guard into any further conversation and instead decided to look around the enemy camp. He was startled to find how empty it was. There was no one around. Where were all the people we had come into the camp with BJ and him? He was brought out of his current thoughts when they finally came to a stop in front of a large building.

"What are we doing here?" Hawkeye made another attempt at discovering what was going on. He didn't really expect an answer, just some more sharp jabs telling him where to go next. He was, therefore, surprised when the North Korean started to explain,

"I brought you here because we need a doctor. Yesterday our only doctor was with us and he saw how you were with the wounded. He has convinced us to let you two live because he needs the help. That doesn't stop him from hating Americans, however, but he says an American doctor is better than nothing. If it were up to me you'd be dead now and I would not have to be babysitting stupid Americans."

Hawkeye was at a loss for words. It always shocked him when a North Korean spoke what seemed like perfect English, but Hawkeye also didn't know how to feel now. He was relieved that BJ and he weren't going to die, now anyway. It was terrifying to know that so many people did, however, not want them to be around them, or living for that matter.

"If you think being a doctor makes you special, you're wrong. In fact you would be dead now, if it hadn't been for the increase in the war. It took a lot of convincing from our doctor to keep you guys alive. That and the thought of a possible reward for bringing in American prisoners."

Hawkeye just stared at his captor, not knowing what to say. What could he say? I'm sorry you didn't get to kill me, but maybe you will get that reward after all? For some reason, that didn't seem like the right thing for him to say. His lack of a response didn't seem to bother the North Korean, who chuckled, opened the door, and shoved him in the new building.

Hawkeye tried to regain his balance, but failed and fell onto the dirt floor. He looked around him and was horrified. This couldn't be their operating room. There's no way. How can they operate like this? He looked around in the dim light—how can you operate in this kind of lighting anyway? And he saw tables that were stained red and probably not sterile. The walls were also stained red. What kind of surgery did they do here? Hawkeye wasn't sure he wanted to know, but he was certain he was going to find out. The floor too; it was dirt, it was dirty dirt. It was such an unsterile environment. He couldn't imagine what the rate of infection was. If the patients survived their wounds then it was almost guaranteed that they would be faced with an infection. What are the chances that they would survive their wounds _and _the infections?

"Get up!!! I can't believe they expect me to work with a lazy American doctor. I begged and begged to be sent a competent doctor and what do I get stuck with? An American! An enemy! They didn't even want to give me you!"

Hawkeye scrambled to his feet, terrified that if the Korean reached him, and he was still on the ground, he might never leave the ground. The other doctor walked over to him and stared him up and down.

"You're lucky that I'm desperate for doctors. Go get ready. There'll be wounded coming any minute now." Hawkeye was surprised by a tap at his elbow.

"Hello doctor. I'll be assisting you. Come this way." He was amazed, someone who actually didn't treat him like he was only one step above dirt. The North Korean almost seemed…nice! Hawkeye gave him a grateful smile and followed his lead. He was taken to a small dingy sink that had a small sliver of soap lying in a dish. He grabbed the soap and turned on the water. Great. It was cold!

"Is it always like this?" He asked his guide.

"Like what?"

"Cold water, no soap, dirty tables, dirty walls, dirt floor, just plain…dirty. How many cases of infection do you get?"

"Infection?"

"Yeah, when the patients get sick after their surgeries for no apparent reason, possibly die."

"That happens a lot."

"You could save so many more lives if it was just a little more cleaner. The wounded aren't dying from their injuries; they're dying from the dirt." The North Korean just stared at him. He had never thought that dirt could be so deadly, but what could he do? He was just a soldier who did what his superiors told him to. He did the small jobs around camp that no one else was doing.

Suddenly there was a loud noise. Hawkeye turned to the doors, which had been pushed loudly opened and saw a flood of wounded lying outside of the doors and some being pushed into the room. It was time to get to work.


	9. What happens tomorrow?

BJ paced back and forth. Where was he? What were they doing to him? Was he alright? Would they bring him back? There were so many questions and BJ had no way of answering any of them. Damn-it! Where did they take him!?

"Where are you Hawk?" BJ was exhausted. It seemed like he had been pacing around his tiny jail for hours now. Pacing and worrying. Why would they take just Hawkeye? He couldn't figure that out. If they needed doctors, than why not take them both? The only reason he could think of taking just one of them would be because they want to question him. And if they want to question him it wouldn't be good. BJ knew his imagination was getting away with him. He kept remembering every war film he'd ever seen. Whenever they took prisoners, in movies, to question, they always ended up beating them. BJ tried to tell himself that this was just the movies, but than he was remembered of what the Colonel had said about his treatment as a prisoner.

"Hawk!" Frustrated, BJ finally collapsed against the wall and slid down to rest on the floor. He was so tired, but he knew he would never be able to sleep. Not without knowing if his friend was alright. Why did they have to take him? He was the injured one! Why did these things always seem to happen to Hawk?

"Damn I hope he's alright!"

BJ was left by himself for hours, with nothing to distract him from his terrible imagination. The time seemed to drag by. There were so many things he should have done differently. Perhaps he could have even kept them from being captured. If something happened to Hawkeye he would never be able to forgive himself.



BJ was startled out of his musings by a loud bang. He looked up in time to see the door thrown open. What he saw nearly gave him a heart attack. Enveloped by the blinding sunlight was Hawkeye. He could only catch a glimpse of a very bloody and pale Hawkeye before they shoved him in and slammed the door shut.

"Hawk! Hawk! Are you okay!? Hawkeye!?" BJ scrambled to were he had seen Hawkeye fall.

"BJ, it's alright. I'm fine. Honest." Hawk said in a very tired voice.

"But the blood!? Where did all that blood come from? Come here Hawk! Let me look at you!" BJ hurriedly crossed the small room to where Hawkeye was slowly picking himself up off the ground.

"It's not my blood. They just needed a doctor. They had so many wounded! I've got their blood all over me."

"That's why they took you!? They needed a surgeon!? Why didn't they take both of us?"

"I don't think they could afford the extra people needed to guard two prisoners. It might be your turn tomorrow." Hawkeye sat himself against a wall and leaned back closing his eyes.

"Hawk, are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, just really tired. You should have seen it Beej. It was so dirty."

For a while the two of them just sat there in silence, Hawkeye almost dozing off, the fact that he was a prisoner and terrified for his life was the only thing that kept him awake. And BJ sat there just watching Hawkeye. More grateful than he'd ever been in his life, Hawk was still alive. He was okay. They were okay.



For now.

What happens when the North Koreans decided that they were more of a liability than an asset? What would he do if they decided that they needed just one American doctor? What would Peg do if he died? What would _he _do if Hawk died? He never imagined that these would be his thoughts when he became a doctor. Doctors are dedicated to the sanctity of life. Wars were foreign places for doctors. In a war the goal is for one side to die. There was no other way to put it. Doctors try to keep everybody alive. Wars and doctors are on completely opposite ends of the spectrum.

"Beej?" BJ practically jumped out of his skin. He had thought that Hawkeye was asleep.

"Yeah Hawk?"

"Don't worry. We'll make it."

How was it that Hawk could always seem to know what he was thinking? This time, however, he had the idea the Hawkeye was trying to convince himself as well as comfort him.

"I know Hawk. I know"

"Man am I hungry. We haven't eaten in… When _was_ the last time we ate?"

"I don't know. Maybe it was when we ate what passes for breakfast at the 4077th before we left?" For some odd reason it was kind of comforting to talk about their gut-wrenching hunger. At least it distracted them from contemplating the future.

"You know, maybe we should thank the North Koreans. They might have saved us from dying at the hands of our oh so admiral cook. Wouldn't that have been a miserable death?"



"We'll have to thank them the next time we see them Hawk."

The two friends quietly chuckled as they imagined their captors' reactions at being thanked for not feeding their prisoners.

The night passed by without any notable incident. Neither of the doctors were able to sleep. They silently watched the sun fall and rise through the sliver between the floor and door. Their hope of escaping or surviving seemed to lessen by each passing second.


End file.
